(Matt 8:1-4，太8：1-4)

Happy new year新年快乐! This is the first afternoon service of the new year, 今天是新年后第一次下午堂聚会讲道, we will continue our study of the book of Matthew that we started last year. 我们接着去年继续来学习《马太福音》。After our Lord Jesus’ teaching on the Mount, 主在山上教导门徒后, he came down from the mountainside就下了山, and begin to demonstrate God’s authority and power by healing the sick 医治病人and driving out demons 赶出污鬼and healing the blind and mute治好瞎子和哑巴，彰显神的权能。Today, we are looking at Matt 8:1-4我们今天来看《太8：1-4》, Jesus heals the man with leprosy. 耶稣医治麻风病人。

8 When Jesus came down from the mountainside耶稣下了山, large crowds followed him有许多人跟着他. 2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said有一个长大麻风的来拜他，说, “Lord, if you are willing主若肯, you can make me clean必能叫我洁净了.” 3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man耶稣伸手摸他，说. “I am willing我肯,” he said. “Be clean你洁净了吧!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy他的大麻风立刻就洁净了. 4 Then Jesus said to him耶稣对他说, “See that you don’t tell anyone你切不可告诉人. But go, show yourself to the priest只要去把身体给祭司察看and offer the gift Moses commanded献上 摩西 所吩咐的礼物, as a testimony to them对众人作证据.”

What do you want or expect when you come to God’s church你到教会来干什么? To make friends来交朋友? To acquire some religious knowledge, so that you may become better想学些宗教知识，让自己变好点? Or do you come to encounter God还是想来遇见神, because you believe that God still saves and heals when His children obey His commands to meet together因你信神儿女遵行祂命令在一起聚会，神就拯救、医治。Jesus is not a teacher of religious knowledge耶稣不是教宗教知识的老师, He is the way, the truth and the life祂是道路、真理、生命。He is THE only way for us to come to the Father and His eternal Kingdom若不藉着祂，就不能到父面前，祂又是进入神永恒国度的唯一通道。Jesus comes to save and to heal, and to set us free耶稣来叫人得拯救、得医治、得释放。The bible tells us that when he comes, he will do this圣经告诉我们主来要做的事: Isa 61:1-2（赛61：1-2） The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me主耶和华的灵在我身上, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor因为耶和华用膏膏我， 叫我传好信息给谦卑的人. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted差遣我医好伤心的人, to proclaim freedom for the captives报告被掳的得释放and release from darkness for the prisoners被囚的出 监牢, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor报告耶和华的恩年and the day of vengeance of our God和我们　神报仇的日子, to comfort all who mourn安慰一切悲哀的人。

Luke 4:18-19（路4：18-19）, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me主的灵在我身上, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor因为他用膏膏我， 叫我传福音给贫穷的人. He has sent me to proclaim freedom差遣我报告：for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind被掳的得释放， 瞎眼的得看见, to set the oppressed free叫那受压制的得自由, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor报告　神悦纳人的禧年.”

1, Bestow His anointing power on His disciples用能力膏祂的门徒；

 2, Preach the gospel传福音；

3, Bind up the brokenhearted医好伤心的人；

4, Set the oppressed free使被压制的得自由 ；

5, Proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour宣告神悦纳人的禧年。

This is what a church should do in the world这就是教会在这世界里要做的。This is also the function of the church in the world也是教会在世上的功能。May the Holy Spirit remind us always of what God desires to do in His church and through His church to the world求主常常提醒我们，神在祂教会里、并藉着教会，向世界所要做行的。As we freely receive我们白白地得来, we freely give就白白地给出去! Jesus teaches His disciples主教导门徒, “as you go, preach this message随走随传，说: ‘the kingdom of heaven is near天国近了.’ Heal the sick医治病人, raise the dead叫死人复活, cleanse those who have leprosy叫长大麻风的洁净, drive out demons把鬼赶出去. Freely you have received你们白白地得来, freely give也要白白地舍去. Matt 10:7-8（太10：7-8）

After we receive God’s salvation我们因信得救, deliverance被释放, and healing through faith in Jesus Christ在主里得医治, our Lord expects us to be instruments of His grace and power to bless others主盼望我们成为祂祝福他人的器皿! That’s why after Jesus said, “heal the sick…” 因此，他一说完”医治病人……”等等后then He immediately teaches “freely you have received, freely give”就马上说”你们白白地得来，也要白白地舍去”。That’s God’s desire这就是神的心意! Freely you receive God’s (grace, forgiveness, healing…)你白白得到神的恩典、饶恕、医治…you freely就白白地给出去… That’s God’s will这就是神的旨意! He wants to set us free from every bondage more than we want to be set free祂渴望释放我们脱离各样的捆绑的心意，比我们自己还急切! But how但是，怎样脱离?

1, Trust in God’s sovereign will相信神的主权

verse 2第二节， A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said有一个长大麻风的来拜他，说, “Lord, if you are willing主若肯, you can make me clean必能叫我洁净了.” This man came to Jesus with humility by kneeling before Him这人来到耶稣面前，谦卑地下拜。This is an action of faith这是个信心的行动, claiming that Jesus is the Lord是在承认耶稣是主. You can imagine试想一下, if someone has a big problem with pride换了一个骄傲的人, he will refuse to bow down before the Lord publicly他一定不会在公众前跪在耶稣面前。But this man humbled himself但这人谦卑自己, and he knelt to the Lord跪在主面前, and submitted himself to the Lord’s sovereignty降服于主, “Lord, if you are willing主若肯, you can make me clean必能叫我洁净了”, this is not a self-focused prayer而不是那种自我中心的祷告, “Lord, I’m suffering too much, heal me.主啊，我太难受了，医治我吧。”

No不, his first concern wasn’t his own welfare这人首先关心的不是自己, but the will of the Lord而是神的旨意. “If you are willing, you can make me clean主若肯，必能叫我洁净了”。This leper expressed faith at its highest level麻风病人现出他信心的最高点, that he believed God was able就是信神凡事都能. “You can make me clean必能叫我洁净了” But his concern was可他所关注的是: “Are you willing to do it right now你愿意此时此刻就洁净我吗? Is this time the right time现在合适吗? “He humbly submitted himself to God’s sovereignty他谦卑降服于神的主权.  The book of Ecclesiastes declares something about the sovereignty of God在《传道书》中有宣告神的主权, “There is a time for everything凡事都有定期, and a season for every activity under heaven天下万务都有定时: a time to kill and a time to heal杀戮有时，医治有时。（传道书3:1,3上）

God is willing to save and to heal神乐意拯救和医治, but He has set a time for everything但祂为每件事都定好了时间, for only He knows what is best for us惟有祂知道什么对我们最好, we can’t manipulate God我们不能操纵神，说, “God, you must heal me right now神啊，你一定要现在医治我…” Sometimes有些时候，when we are in a process of God’s healing plan我们正处在神医治计划的进程中，we may not realise that却意识不到, because we are so limited by what we see from our eyes因我们局限在肉眼所看的, so please don’t let your heart be weighed down by what you see or what you feel所以，不要因所看所感，心就下沉, but believe and praise that God’s will is always good而是信而赞美，神的旨意永远良善, and His timing is best for you祂给你的时间总是最好的, so that the devil can’t push you down by negative feelings这样，魔鬼就无法用负面的感觉感受来推倒你了。

This time when I was in the home church我这次回到家里的教会, a sister came from another city with her son who has a kind of tardiness problem有个姊妹带着有类似拖沓症的儿子从外地来, for example举个例子, whenever he needs to put on his shoes or to take action那儿子若是要穿鞋或者干个什么事情, he will take 10 minutes or even half hour to start他可能会需要十分钟或半小时才能开始, this makes his parents impatient他父母就不耐烦了, and they got sometimes mad at him有时还要发火. But actually可实际上, his condition has improved a lot儿子的情况已经改善了不少, since I met him three year ago比起三年前来见我的时候. And his mom told me that God had sent a dream to her husband这位妈妈说神还赐给她丈夫一个梦 that their son would laugh and talk with them around the table like a normal person梦里儿子和他们一起坐在餐桌边有说有笑，和正常人无异. Now that has come to pass现在这梦开始成就了。 God has been gradually healing this boy神一点点地在医治这孩子。

But this beautiful mom wanted God to heal her son completely and immediately可这位美丽的母亲想神立刻就完全医治好儿子。So I led her into prayer于是我带她一起祷告, and when the power of the love of Christ came upon her当基督的爱和能力临到她, she started to cry她流泪了, and was released from doubt about God’s love as well as from complaints从对神的爱的怀疑和抱怨中得了释放, instead, she was filled with joy, and the power of faith喜乐，和满有能力的信，充满了她。When she went back to her own city她回到自己的城市, her husband wasn’t happy with the news she brought him见到丈夫，丈夫听了她带回的消息并不开心, so he pulled a long face and didn’t speak to her拉长着脸，不和她说话。But this time she had strength to keep smiling and talking gently with him但这次她有力量保持微笑并一直温柔地对他说话。then her husband told her that he had had very bad neck pain and back pain for several days while they weren’t there后来丈夫就告诉她，他们不在的时候，他的脖子和背非常痛，且痛了好几天。

The Christian mom testified 这位基督徒妈妈见证说that that was the first time she had the faith to place her hand on her husband’s neck and back那是她第一次有信心按手在丈夫的脖子和背上，and she prayed after he eventually agreed to be prayed for在得到丈夫的同意后，开声为他祷告, and then a miracle happened然后，奇迹发生了, the pain was gone丈夫就不痛了。She was full of joy她的心充满喜乐! Because this was the first time因这是她有生以来第一次, she tasted God’s power through love in faith exercised by her prayer尝到 在信心和爱心中的祷告 带下了神的能力的滋味。She came with a desire to heal her son immediately她来是为让神可以马上医治儿子的病, but God has another plan for her that was to strengthen her faith但神另有一个计划，就是坚固她的信心, and through to strengthen her husband’s faith又藉着她坚固丈夫的信心。And to tell them that He is alive并告诉他们神活着! Don’t worry but trust in God’s sovereignty不要怕，只要信神掌权! He wants us to be rich in faith! 祂愿我们在信上富足！For He is leading us into His eternity因祂在领我们进入永恒。Trusting in His sovereignty信神掌权, you will receive multiple blessings就会得着各样美福!

2, Trust in God’s merciful compassion信神丰盛的怜悯

Jesus is willing to make us clean耶稣乐意我们得洁净! If we are willing to be made clean只要我们愿意. Jesus is full of compassion耶稣充满了慈怜. He didn’t just say他不是只说了, “I’m willing, be clean.我肯，你洁净了吧” but also, He stretched out his hand and touched the man with a contagious disease他又伸手触摸这传染病人, and immediately the leper was cured大麻风立刻就洁净了. Jesus has power over disease耶稣的大能远超过疾病! He is the almighty God祂是全能的神! Yet, He is willing to take up our infirmities and carry our disease然而，祂却愿意担当我们的软弱，背负我们的疾病! That’s His mercy那就是祂的怜悯.

We know that leprosy is contagious麻风病的传染性极强. It is such a terrible disease非常可怕. In Leviticus 13《利未记》十三章, God instructed a person with leprosy shall wear torn clothes神吩咐麻风病人，他的衣服要撕裂, and loose his hair也要蓬头散发, and cover his upper lip and cry out蒙着上唇，喊叫说, “unclean不洁净了, unclean不洁净了.” The leper should live alone and be kept outside of the camp他既是不洁净，就要独居营外. (see Leviticus 13:45-46，利13：45-46) Leprosy doesn’t only affect a person physically麻风病影响的不光是人的身体, but also socially, mentally, and spiritually还影响人的社交、心理、精神. The leper is separated from people and from God麻风病人与人、与神隔绝, you can imagine what hopelessness and desperation a leper suffers你可想象一下病人承受的无望和绝望. The same for a sinner罪人也是一样, he is also unclean也是不洁净的. Sin bans us from the presence of the Holy God罪使我们与神隔绝. Just as a leper can’t change his condition and is destined for death就如麻风病人不能改变自己的状况，注定等死, so are sinners罪人也是一样. We can’t change our condition and should be destined for death我们也不能改变自己的状况. For the wages of sin is death 因罪的工价乃是死(Romans 6:23，罗6：23). Disobedience不顺服, rebellion悖逆, pride and ego separate us from the blessings of the Holy God骄傲和自我，使我们离开圣洁神所赐的祝福.

But in compassion Jesus stretched out his hand and touched the untouchable但因怜悯，耶稣伸出祂的手，摸那不可摸的, and cleansed the unclean洁净那不洁净的. The same Jesus also came and cleansed us耶稣也来洁净我们, the unclean这些不洁净的人, by standing in our place他站在我们的位置, and by being accursed and condemned被控告、被定罪, and through His blood and His resurrection藉着祂流血舍命，又从死里复活, we can be made clean我们就得了洁净. That’s His mercy这就是祂的怜悯. He reaches out to save sinful people祂伸手拯救罪人! Those who humbly receive His salvation can be made clean那谦卑接受救恩的就得了洁净! We thank God for His amazing grace感谢神奇异的恩典! Jesus turns our hopeless end into endless hope耶稣将我们无望等死的人生改换为充满无尽盼望的人生。

3, Walk in God’s powerful word行在神权能的话语中

So what should we do now after receiving His salvation得救后我们要做什么? In Colossians 2:6（西2：6）,  So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord你们既然接受了主基督耶稣, continue to live in him就当遵他而行, Why should we continue to live in Him为什么要住在主里? Because only by living in Him is there safety, healing, protection住在主里才有安全、医治、保护, wholeness, love, peace, 完全、爱、平安，righteousness, joy and endless hope公义、喜乐和无尽的盼望. How to live in Him怎样住在主里? What does the bible meaning by living in Him圣经里住在主里 是什么意思? 1 John 2:6（约一2：6） says, 5 But if anyone obeys his word凡遵守主道的, God’s love is truly made complete in them爱神的心在他里面实在是完全的. This is how we know we are in him从此，我们知道我们是在主里面: 6 whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did人若说他住在主里面，就该自己照主所行的去行. To live in Him is to Obey His word住在主里就是遵行神的话! That’s why Jesus commanded the leper to do God’s command after receiving his healing因为这个原因，主耶稣吩咐麻风病人治愈后去行神的命令. (v.4，第4节)

In the OT there is a story of King Uzziah《旧约》里记载了乌西雅王的故事, who became Judah’s eleventh King at the age of 16他十六岁登基，是犹大的第十一位君主, and in the early years of his reign had been very successful because he followed God commands他早期因遵行神的命令，相当成功. The bible says经上说, “as long as he sought the Lord他寻求耶和华, God gave him success神就使他亨通.（ 2 Chronicles 26:5b，代下 26:5下）” But having a good beginning doesn’t always mean having a good end但好的开始不代表总是有好的结尾. Having a good end requires us to hold on to God’s word until the end要有好结尾，我们就当持定神的话语直到最后. King Uzziah had a good beginning and a big influence乌西雅王有好的开始，以致声名远扬, but because of his pride但因骄傲, the bible says圣经说, “his pride led to his downfall就心高气傲，以致行事邪僻. 2 chronicles 26:16，代下 26:16上”, when Uzziah refused to follow God’s commands当他不遵行神的命令, he had leprosy until his death就得了麻风病直到死日. Do you see看到了吗? Blessed success can be lost by the subtlety of pride, self-righteousness, and self-sufficiency因一点点的骄傲、自义和自满，就失去了神所赐的成功, if we neglect to obey His word若我们忽略行神的话.

But today但是现在, we thank God for the blood of Christ我们感谢神赐给我们基督的宝血, which gives us opportunity to turn back to God使我们有机会回转, if we submit ourselves to the Lord continuously只要我们不断地降服于神. We also thank God for every humble situation we are in我们为每个降卑的环境感谢神, where life or things are not going our way当生活和事情不如己意, for that can remind us that we need to pay attention to what He says那是在提醒我们要留心听神的话, listen closely to His words and trust in Him with all our hearts留心去听，并全心信靠祂.

None of us want to get sick mentally, spiritually and physically没人想身体、心理、精神得病. Jesus is able and He is merciful enough to heal our whole being在神凡事都能，祂大有怜悯可以医治我们的全人, apart from asking for healing or going to see doctors除了寻求医治或者看医生, does the bible teach us how to keep the whole being healthy圣经里有没有关于怎样保守全人健康的教导呢? Yes有! The bible says经上说, “20 My son, pay attention to what I say我儿，要留心听我的言词; listen close to my words侧耳听我的话语. 21 Do not let them out of your sight都不可离你的眼目, keep them within your heart要存记在你心中; 22 for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body因为得着它的，就得了生命， 又得了医全体的良药. 23 Above all else, guard your heart你要保守你心，胜过保守一切, for it is the wellspring of life因为一生的果效是由心发出. Proverbs 4:20-23，箴4：20-23

It says that God’s words are life and health to our whole body这里说神的话是生命和医治全体的良药! Jesus says主耶稣说, “the words I’ve spoken to you are spirit and they are life我对你们所说的话就是灵，就是生命。John6:63b,约6：63下” And they are powerful enough to restore us mentally, spiritually, and physically神的话大有能力，足以医治我们的身体、心灵、精神，if we keep them carefully within our hearts只要我们将它们谨守在心中! God speaks His words to our hearts not just to our ears神不止是对我们的耳朵说话，更是对我们的心说话. Our hearts connect to the voice of God我们的心是接受神声音的接受器。

Your heart你的心, my heart我的心, our hearts我们的心, the truth tells us that the heart is the wellspring of life真理说一生的果效由心发出, God won’t listen to this prayer神不会听这样的祷告, “Lord, guard my heart主啊，保守我的心.” Because it’s your responsibility, and my responsibility to guard our hearts因保守心是你我的责任! What your heart abides with determines your whole being’s health你的心连于什么决定了你全人的健康! When your heart is freely abiding in the words of God当你的心住在主的话语里, you are sensitive to the Spirit of God (the voice of God) 你对圣灵（神的声音）就会敏感起来。

But if your heart is bound with worries但要是你的心被忧虑捆住 (worry about tomorrow, health, job, study, finances…担忧明天、健康、工作、学习、财务……等等的事), bound with fear被惧怕捆绑 (what people say about me…别人会怎么说我……), low self-esteem 自我价值低(I’m not good enough…我不够好……), bound with a comparative mindset被比较的思维方式捆住 (self-pity, or looking down others or things自怜，又或者看低他人), pride骄傲, judgemental thoughts论断…, rejection 拒绝感(he looks down on me因他看不起我…), unforgiveness不饶恕, if your heart is bound with all sorts of things如果你的心被这些所捆绑, then the wellspring of your life is polluted (contaminated) 那生命的泉源就被污秽了, and when the wellspring of life is contaminated生命泉源既被污秽, the health of your whole body will be damaged身体健康就被破坏了! Because this gives the devil rooms to steal, kill and destroy因为那样给魔鬼留了地步，进来偷窃、杀害、毁坏!

In Acts 10:38,徒 10:38, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power神怎样以圣灵和能力膏 拿撒勒 人耶稣，这都是你们知道的, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil他周流四方，行善事，医好凡被魔鬼压制的人, because God was with him因为神与他同在。                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

It tells us that Jesus Christ healed the sick with the power of God这里说耶稣基督以神的能力医治病人, however, it doesn’t say it like that然而经文却没有这样说, instead, it says that 而是说Jesus healed “all who were under the power of the devil”耶稣医好”凡被魔鬼压制的人”. Therefore所以, if we give ourselves in to sin我们若把自己交给罪, we give power to the devil to oppress us就是给魔鬼压制我们的权力, which can cause sickness就会导致生病. Christians基督徒们, we are responsible to whom we are opening the doors of our hearts我们向谁敞开心门，这是我们自己的责任! To the word of God向神的话敞开? or to the lies或是向谎言敞开? If we constantly open the doors for worries, fears, pride, lust, rejection, unforgiveness…我们若不停地向忧虑、惧怕、骄傲、情欲、被拒绝、不饶恕……敞开心门and allow our hearts - the wellspring of life to be polluted任由我们的心这生命的泉源被污秽, and to be oppressed under the power of the devil去被撒旦欺压, we give ourselves in to sickness mentally, spiritually and physically就是把自己交给心理、精神、身体的疾病. That’s why we need to guard your heart above all else这就是为什么我们要保守自己的心超过一切! Through the power of the Holy Spirit靠着圣灵的能力, be obedient to His words遵行神的话! For that may go well with us! 因此叫我们得兴盛！

At the beginning of the year年之初, we all have dreams and expectations of the Lord我们都对神有期待, we all want God to bless us with good health for the whole body我们都愿神赐给我们全人健康, remember请记住, that Jesus is willing to cleanse us just as He cleansed the leper耶稣多么愿意洁净我们，就像祂愿意洁净那个麻风病人! for His blood was shed for us因祂的宝血为我们而流, and the penalty of sin was paid as he laid down his body for us身体为我们而舍，使罪得赦免! The forgiveness of sins is available now这赦罪的恩典已有了! Jesus主耶稣, our merciful and the living God of the universe宇宙中充满慈怜的独一真神, the source and content of real freedom and healing自由和医治的泉源和内含, who is inviting you to put your trust in His words现在邀请你信靠祂的话语; He is inviting you to treasure Him and His words with all your hearts above all else祂邀请你全心珍藏祂和祂宝贵的话语，超过一切, for they are life and health to a man’s whole body因他们是生命，又是医全体的良药. Jesus has come to set all the captives free耶稣来使被掳的得释放! Surely, he took up our infirmities祂诚然担当我们的忧患, and carried our sorrows背负我们的痛苦. By His stripes we are healed因祂的鞭伤我们得医治. Jesus still saves, and He still heals耶稣仍在拯救，仍在医治.